Posted Sat Dec 11, 2004 8:18 am GMT by chew
I don't really consider myself a beginner as far as basic play, ie. starting hands, position, odds etc. but I am having real problems coping with long runs of poor cards. I play lo-limt $0.50/$1.00.
For example I play for a couple of hours and get very few decent starting hands. The ones I do get either don't improve or get badly beaten. This is fine for a few sessions (I know even great players have losing streaks). But when this goes on and on, session after session, weeks and weeks where nothing goes right, you begin to think, OK how much more money do I have to lose before I either pack it in or play differently.
My bankroll was pretty healthly ($300) but is now getting very low.
I've read numerous books from basic play up to biggies like Super System and I know that I have a reasonable grasp of the fundamentals. I can see it when I play every day. People playing so badly it makes you laugh, but when you're losing as much as them playing what you think is good strategy it's hard to believe in your own system.
I've just finished yet another typical 2hr losing session where some of the hands I played were AA, TT, TT, JJ, JJ, AKs, AK, AK, AQs, 88, 55 etc. and won with none of them. Getting badly beaten with several of them when I caught a good flop.
Apart from when I played as a beginner without much strategy I have been playing for about 3 or 4 months now and have yet to experience a winning streak.
Should I quit? 
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Posted Sat Dec 11, 2004 5:08 pm GMT by xhi
Heck NO! Don't quit!
Join my table.
A question though. To my way of thinking each of those hands deserved, Nay! demanded that you raise pre-flop. Did you do so? And then at least come right out with an after flop bet and perhaps a raise. This could limit the number of folks trying to draw out on you.
Also make sure you are including the lower end starting hands for a 1 bet like KQ KJs AJ AT as well as Ax suited with x=K-7 etc. You got to make a few of these to bolster your stack once in a while. ie. Giving yourself a chance to draw out on their "good" hands. Don't play these beyond the flop if they don't improve.
IMHO of course.
Remember the odds. You got a couple of really good days comming.
Posted Sat Dec 11, 2004 7:19 pm GMT by chew
Yes, depending on position I would raise and re-raise with Big Pairs and Big suited connectors.
With enough callers, I call with smaller suited connetors, small pairs and Axs. I mix up my play a bit too (although at these tables thats probably a waste of time).
I know my play is better than the average player at these low limit tables, its the seemingly endless bad luck thats the problem. How long can this go on. Surely $300 should've been enough!!
I think maybe I'm playing too much.
Posted Sat Dec 11, 2004 8:05 pm GMT by xhi
O.k. then here's my advice.
Play some sit and go where for a cheap price you can play an awful lot of hands. When the cards start comming again then go back and grab your money back.
Posted Wed Dec 15, 2004 9:58 am GMT by chew
Took your advice.
Just played 4 sit and go tournaments. Three 4th positions and one 5th.
The last one I got knocked out with AKs. Went all in and was beaten by someone with A7o.
I've read somewhere that Poker is a game of skill, not luck.
It's certainly not looking that way for me at the moment.
Posted Wed Dec 15, 2004 11:39 am GMT by Nut Flush
| Quote: | | I've read somewhere that Poker is a game of skill, not luck. |
It is, but sometimes you need luck to win. Have you ever gone all in with KK and beat AA when a K flops? That's lucky. It happens, just have to deal with it.
And A7 beating your AK, did the guy with A7 call your all in for 2000 chips or was he the big blind and it only cost him 50 more chips to call you? There is a huge difference. One play is dumb, the other is correct.
Heck, I've been on a week long dry spell. It sucks bad but I'm not going to quit. It's just a small bump in the road.
Posted Wed Dec 15, 2004 12:05 pm GMT by xhi
Looks like you did pretty well.
I didn't necessarily mean you needed to win. Just play a lot of hands cheaply until the cards come back and you can go back to your regular game.
Three fourths and a fifth though might lead me to believe you need a touch more patience. If you went out in those positions and were not the short stack you need to wait for the short stack to blind out or take his last stab.
Even with a good hand sometimes it is better just to let the others fight it out. Any time the other beasts fight one of them will be weaker at the end relative to you. When you are 4th being 3rd is more important than winning any pot.
Posted Wed Dec 15, 2004 9:39 pm GMT by BigSlugger09
Yea, the patience thing seems to be especially true in sit and gos from what Ive seen.
Ive folded pocket 10's or Pocket Jacks (when I have like 2000 chips - start with 1000) before just because I didnt feel it was worth risking the whole sit and go on a hand where I could be a big underdog. Of course, if I were shortstacked I would be forced to go in on something like that.
Posted Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:46 pm GMT by campbeas
I think what they are trying to say is in sitngo's....pick your battles wisely. Not based on what cards you hold but the situation in which you find yourself.
If your the chips leader you don't have to play mediocure hands. YOu can afford to fold before or after the flop if your the big or small blind. Let the others fight it out for 3rd/4th/5th, If your money isn't in the pot you can't lose it.
But if your the short stack, you have to calculate....what are the odds I'm going to get a better hand then the one I'm holding right now and on top of that ...how many hands do I have left in this game...ie are the blinds going to kill you. You may have to play a lesser hand, and go all in even though you know it may not be the best starting hand at the table. But it may be your best shot at making it to the money (ie 3rd).
I've been in many sitngo's, and been the short stack.....you wait out the cards then when you think its time go all in 'before' the flop, chances are someone with double your stack will chase you and try to take you out even if there cards aren't a high percentage. In my limited experience that one move that I waited for changes the whole game...I've won 4 out of my last 5 sitngos and in all I was the short stack with 5 of 10 left at the table and came back to dominate the remaining players.
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